One option would have public schools starting after Labor Day, as usual, on Sept. 8, 2026. The second option has a start date of Aug. 31, before Labor Day, which is Sept 7.

Superintendent Cynthia McCabe came up with the two calendar options earlier this year and the school board allowed the Carroll County community the opportunity to weigh in on them. A final vote is scheduled at Wednesday’s meeting.

Also at this month’s school board meeting, officials will discuss immigration enforcement policy. Maryland law requires each local Board of Education to develop a policy for interacting with ICE at schools that’s consistent with the state Attorney General’s ICE policies.

“CCPS staff have worked with legal counsel to develop a policy consistent with the guidance which was made available this summer,” wrote Jon O’Neal, the CCPS assistant superintendent of operations.

The proposed immigration enforcement policy will be discussed at Wednesday’s board meeting before it’s published for a public feedback period. In December, the board will vote on the policy.

The Trump administration is allowing federal immigration enforcement activity to take place at previously restricted places, such as churches and schools. Carey Wright, the state’s public school superintendent, sent a memo on immigration enforcement to school district superintendents in January.

The memo said: “Federal and state laws protect education records and personal information,” and “these laws generally require written consent from parents/guardians before releasing information, unless it is for educational purposes, otherwise authorized by law, or in response to a court order or subpoena.” The guidelines from Wright say that schools should communicate with their superintendent and attorneys before they fulfill requests from federal immigration authorities.

This month’s Carroll Board of Education agenda also includes a presentation on the Maryland School Report Card evaluations, school attendance rates and average class sizes.

State data released last week showed that seven Carroll County public schools gained a star in the 2024-25 academic year, and every school in the county achieved at least three stars out of five. Carroll County elementary schools posted the state’s second-highest achievement scores, and middle schools ranked third.

A presentation Wednesday will break down this year’s performance, compare the results with past years’ data, and touch on the ways the school system can improve. The school board will also review overall attendance data. Attendance is linked to school success ratings, and student attendance at Carroll County’s public schools has consistently been better than state averages.

A report on average class sizes at every Carroll County public school, as well as general averages at elementary, middle and high schools, is also on the agenda for discussion.

The average class size at Carroll high schools shrank slightly from 22.9 last year to 21.8 this year. Middle school class sizes have stayed about the same, at 25.2 students per class. Elementary school class sizes dropped slightly, from 23.3 last year to 22.5 this year.

The school system also tracks how many classes in each division have over 30 students per class.

Elementary schools had no classes larger than 30. Middle schools had the most of the three divisions, with 182 classes having more than 30 students. At high schools, 93 classes had more than 30 students.

The Board of Education meeting’s public portion begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the conference room at 25 N. Court St. in Westminster.

School board meetings are open to the public and livestreamed on the Carroll County Public Schools YouTube channel and viewable on the right side of the Board of Education’s website at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-informationunder CETV Livestream. Meetings are also broadcast throughout the month on Carroll Educational Television, Channel 21. Anyone who wishes to participate must fill out an online sign-up form at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-information or call the communications office at 410-751-3020 by 9 p.m. on the Tuesday before a meeting.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

Winters Mill High School drama students will perform their take on the play, adapted for a high school audience, this weekend and next.

In the story, on a dark and stormy night, six guests are invited to a dinner party at the Boddy Mansion and discover that they’re all being blackmailed for their various “un-American” behavior. The show is set during the 1950s, at the height of the Red Scare. After a killing takes place in the mansion, the cast of characters must discover who committed it, where it took place, and with what weapon, staying true to the objective of the original board game.

Performances begin Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and continue Nov. 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. The play — which was written by Sandy Rustin and based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn— runs for 1 1/2 hours.

Natalie Bolander is an English and drama teacher at Winters Mill who also runs the drama program. This is her fourth year at the high school, and she said her students have been begging to perform “Clue” for a few years. The students were thrilled when the show choice was announced.

Bolander’s grandfather, Walter Hann, is a retired electrician. Just before the school year started, he visited the school, evaluated the already-existing inventory, took some notes, and went to Home Depot to make some additional purchases, before he built the whole set in his garage. He delivered the set to the school over the course of three Saturdays, Bolander said.

“Students and their parents volunteered to paint it,” she added.

Ticket sales fund the drama program, and if there’s a need that the drama program can’t meet itself, Bolander reaches out to the parent-run drama boosters club, which does independent fundraising.

Bolander noted that one challenge in putting on a production of “Clue” was the sheer number of props necessary for the performance.

Tenth grader James Miller, 15, plays Col. Mustard, one of the guests at the mansion. Miller said he has a lot in common with Mustard. “Col. Mustard, honestly … portrays a lot of my personality. We’re very ADHD, definitely,” he said with a laugh.

Oliver Naugle, 16, is a junior who plays Wadsworth, a British butler, leading the cast through the murder mystery.

Naugle has been performing in theater since fourth grade and has known some of the other cast members, such as Miller, for years. “It’s really nice getting to see him grow up and work with him in high school,” he said.

With many lines for each cast members to manage, some students are taking a new approach to an age-old challenge for theater performers. Cy Olsen, 14, a ninth grader who plays the motorist, said he memorized his lines using Quizlet, a digital flashcard website.

Lucy Ehmann, 14, also learned her lines using Quizlet, as the understudy for Ms. Peacock. She also learned how to tap dance for her role as the “singing telegram,” an iconic character from the 1985 film. She said she’s enjoyed working with the cast and crew, and having the opportunity to connect with her peers.

Bolander said she’s been impressed with how the actors are making legendary and beloved characters their own.

“Anyone who’s a fan of the film … definitely come, because the script does stay true to the movie, with just a few tweaks here and there, but the ending is its own special thing,” she said.

Performances of “Clue” will be held in the Winters Mill High School auditorium at 560 Gorsuch Road in Westminster. Tickets cost $5 for students, $15 for adults and $10 for seniors.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

During Monday night’s rehearsal, a buzz of excitement filled the air as students dressed in 1940s garb and animal ears walked through the halls.

More than 75 students are involved in the production, according to theatre teacher and drama program director Bobbi Vinson. Performances will be held Nov. 7, 8, 14, and 15 at 7 p.m. The trio of shows runs for about two hours.

The first play, “Sorry, Wrong Number,” is a 1946 radio thriller about a bedridden woman who overhears a murder plot. The play was produced as a blockbuster film in 1948. The show features 13 students and is directed by student Vivian Huntington.

Huntington, 17, said she’s enjoyed directing a serious show that she knows audience members will appreciate. She is especially excited for the annual Veterans Dinner, during which local vets are offered a free dinner and a show experience, on Saturday.

“Goldilocks on Trial” is a courtroom comedy in which Goldilocks is tried for her crimes. The show is directed by senior Dominick Olimpio, 17. Though this is his first theater directing experience, Olimpio has directed films at the Carroll County Career and Technology Center.

He said his cast of 24 has a lot of theater “newcomers,” and while he’s had to give a few reminders about projecting and cheating out — angling one’s body toward the audience— he’s enjoyed the directing process.

In “Modern Fairy Tale EPIC Fails,” a comedy directed by Anson Butler, 17, two parents offer retellings of classic fairytales to their internet-obsessed daughter. This show answers the questions: “What if Cinderella was an Instagram influencer?” and “What if the three little pigs were having to … troubleshoot insurance policies?” Butler said.

Butler said that one of his biggest challenges was tackling set design “without making it too drastic,” with a script that switches back and forth from a child’s bedroom to other scenes.

Blake Miller, 17, and Samson Thomas Wade, 17, are childhood best friends who play Hansel and Gretel in “Modern Fairy Tales.”

The two juniors said they love doing impressions together, and are thrilled that the play allows them to put their German accents on display. “German is one we’ve had in our back pocket for quite a while,” Miller said, “and it got its stage debut in the show.”

Ace Koch, 17, is a junior, who designs and alters costumes. Koch took sewing classes for two years, offering the best preparation for a production like this. “I like the look on people’s faces when you can tell they really feel good in their costume, like they feel confident when they can feel their character,” they said.

Tickets are available at the door and cost $8 for students and $10 for adults. Performances will be held in the Manchester Valley High School auditorium at 3300 Maple Grove Road in Manchester.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

Carroll County elementary schools posted the state’s second-highest achievement scores, and middle schools ranked third.

Only one Carroll school declined by a star: Cranberry Station Elementary in Westminster dropped to three stars this year after earning four stars the prior year. All other schools in the county maintained their ratings from last year.

The Maryland School Report Card evaluation is based on a rubric determining school success in key areas including academic achievement in English and math, “well-rounded” curriculum, chronic absenteeism and graduation rates.

In Carroll, high schools had the highest rate of chronic absenteeism, with 25% of students marked as chronically absent. Elementary schools had the lowest rate at 15.2%, while middle schools were at 19.4%. Students are considered chronically absent if they miss at least 10% of school days.

The Maryland State Department of Education has set a three-year goal to reduce statewide chronic absenteeism to 15%. The department has developed initiatives to meet that target, including a State Attendance Task Force to improve attendance.

Schools that gained one star in Carroll include the Gateway School in Westminster; Freedom District Elementary in Sykesville; North Carroll Middle in Hampstead; Manchester Elementary in Manchester; Piney Ridge Elementary in Eldersburg; Elmer A. Wolfe Elementary in Union Bridge; and Runnymede Elementary in Westminster.

Century High School had no star change but was one point shy of earning five stars. Westminster’s East Middle was one point away from reaching four stars.

Elementary and middle schools met the state benchmarks for academic progress, school quality and success improvement; however, high schools struggled in a few categories.

Although Carroll’s high schools on average did not improve English language proficiency scores, the county’s high schools were ranked sixth in the state for academic achievement. Academic achievement measures proficiency in English language arts and mathematics.

The county’s graduation rate did not improve, and subsequently, Carroll high schools fell below the graduation rate target.

Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Cynthia McCabe said Tuesday in a statement: “While this report provides us with excellent information about academic achievement, it also provides [a] wealth of other information that allows us to look at the academic experience of our students through a wider lens.”

She added that CCPS will use the report card data and MCAP data together, “to better the educational experience for our students.”

Baltimore Sun editor Steve Early contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

On Tuesday, all of the bathrooms were back in operation and the school was fully open, according to Ray Prokop, director of facilities for Carroll County Public Schools.

Multiple clogs in the sewer system required the school to be closed so maintenance could address the issues and clear the pipes, Prokop said, adding that one of the clogs occurred again Tuesday morning and was addressed.

Crews worked on bathrooms in the “A wing” of the building on Tuesday, but Prokop said the maintenance didn’t affect the ability to use bathrooms. “The bathrooms are all open and operational,” Prokop said Tuesday morning.

Soon after the initial issue was discovered on Monday and the bathrooms were shut down, the school decided to send home students for the day. An email notifying parents of the early closure was sent out at 9:24 a.m. for a 10:30 a.m. pickup.

Crews addressing the issues were made up of Carroll Schools maintenance and custodial staff. At around noon on Monday, school staff determined that the school’s evening activities could continue as normal, Prokop said.

He added that the central issue uncovered in the assessment of the sewage system was that the school’s toilets aren’t being used as they’re intended. Prokop said people treat toilets like a “trash can.”

He noted that when facilities services posted signs asking students not to flush items down the toilet that could damage the pipes, in the past, students have broken down the signs into pieces and flushed them down the toilet. “What we’re dealing with isn’t uncommon, unfortunately,” Prokop said.

When it comes to preventing clogs from students flushing items that don’t belong down the toilet, Prokop said, “there’s no easy answer, and all we can do is respond when it occurs.”

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

On Tuesday morning, William Caine, facilities planner for Carroll County Public Schools, and county development review coordinator Amy Barcroft presented the concept plan for one of these six pre-K additions, at William Winchester Elementary School, to the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

“There’s six of these pre-K additions that are all kind of in the same stage,” Caine said. “They’re all typically just one pre-K classroom. There’s a couple of them where we’re looking at a second classroom, but… the ones with one classroom [cost] around $2 million, plus or minus.”

Caine told The Carroll County Times that the concept site plans for all six schools are either completed or nearly complete, and will seek approval from local authorities in the coming weeks.

Three of the six pre-K additions — at William Winchester, Runnymede and Robert Moton elementary schools — will need approval from the county. The other three additions — Westminster, Spring Valley and Elmer Wolfe elementary schools — will require local approval from the municipalities where they are located, Westminster, Hampstead and Union Bridge, respectively.

Once plans are approved, Caine said CCPS expects to start construction on all six additions in June, and to finish construction in time for the 2027-2028 school year.

CCPS is pursuing these additions as part of its plan to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a statewide plan to revamp the education system. As a part of Blueprint, which is three years into its 10-year implementation, the state is required to expand options for free pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds whose families’ income is less than 300% of the federal poverty level. Children whose families make between 300% and 600% of the federal poverty level will also be eligible for subsidized pre-K on a sliding scale.

To meet these requirements, Carroll County is aiming to have 840 prekindergarten seats by 2028 and recently expanded the program from 400 to 460 seats, according to the county’s 2024 Blueprint implementation plan.

The pre-K expansions at these six elementary schools will add a total of 120 seats.

The expansion at William Winchester Elementary School will cover a total of 1,955 square feet, adding one classroom with a capacity for two additional staff members and 20 additional students. The classroom will be located on the south side of the building near the school’s playground.

“The plan proposes a building addition to accommodate new classrooms, and improvements to the playground area that needs to be relocated as part of the addition,” Barcroft said at the meeting Tuesday.

The Planning and Zoning Commission voted to delegate final approval of the William Winchester concept site plan to the commission’s chair, Janice Kirkner.

Caine said he expects to present concept site plans for Runnymede and Robert Moton elementary schools to the commission at one of its meetings next month, on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. or Nov. 18 at 9 a.m.

Have a news tip? Contact Lily Carey at LCarey@baltsun.com.

Last month’s joint meeting of the school board and Board of County Commissioners left the planned additions at Freedom Elementary and Sykesville Middle in doubt, as board members weighed the impact of more accurate cost assessments for the Freedom project and decreased state funding for the Sykesville project.

In addition, Jon O’Neal, assistant superintendent of operations, said updated enrollment projections meant that the additions may not actually be necessary. When the additions were initially approved, data from 2022 and 2023 estimated that enrollment at Sykesville Middle would reach 844 students by 2026, and 922 students by 2027.

However, 2025 projections indicate lower enrollment, projecting that Sykesville’s 2029 enrollment would be 829, putting the school at 115% utilization — lower than the previous projections.

The school board approved in August 2024 plans to add 13 classrooms to Sykesville Middle, at an estimated cost of $17.7 million. The project would have increased the student capacity by 250, bringing it to a total of 970. The budget for the Sykesville Middle addition has not changed; however, the state would fund less of the construction costs, resulting in the county paying more than previously anticipated.

In 2022, the county estimated that Freedom Elementary would grow to 666 students by 2026, putting it at nearly 127% of its capacity. But this year, the school’s enrollment is at 541 students, with an expected enrollment of 641 by 2029. That’s still over the 120% capacity benchmark that would warrant renovations.

The Freedom Elementary project was approved in August 2024 at a cost of $7.2 million and was expected to add 112 seats and 4,500 square feet to the school, increasing its total capacity to 637 students. Costs for the project increased by $1.3 million this year.

In addition, during the September joint meeting, some officials pointed out that Freedom Elementary is a 70-year-old school, and said renovations may not make sense. Commissioner Susan Krebs suggested that the school board hold off on construction until the building reaches an age where it could be replaced.

On Wednesday, school board Vice President Steve Whisler said: “We have a far greater likelihood of getting more state money to improve the situation at Freedom and Sykesville, ultimately, if we consider other actions like a replacement, than you do with expansion.”

With the school additions amendment, the school board unanimously approved the proposed fiscal 2027 Capital Budget and the fiscal 2028-2032 Capital Improvement Plan.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com.

Children and adults held plastic bags brimming with apples on the tractor rides back from the orchards on Sunday. Ushering in the Jewish calendar year of 5786, families sang songs honoring the new year and delighted in the festive treats traditionally eaten on the holiday. They also heard Aaron Klaus blow a shofar, a trumpet made of a ram’s horn, which is sounded on both Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, as well as the month leading up to the High Holy Days.

The apple picking was organized by the Jewish Connection Network in partnership with PJ Library, and sponsored by The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore. Addie Lewis Klein, executive director of Jewish Connection Network, said that her organization encourages people who aren’t very involved in the Jewish community to become more engaged in communal Jewish life.

Klein’s organization uses “connectors” who welcome others into the Jewish community with the goal of “helping them find their way and whatever is appropriate for them.”

She also noted that more young Jewish families are moving from Baltimore City and Baltimore County to Carroll and Harford counties. “Our work is in part to help bring some of Jewish life out to those areas,” Klein said.

Stacy Sine, 35, is a social worker who came apple picking with her husband Ben, 36, a chef at The St. Paul’s School, and their son Oliver. Sine said that there aren’t that many Jews living in Westminster, and she wants her son to be involved in the Jewish community at an early age. “I thought this would be a really great way to start that relationship,” she said.

Pikesville resident Dana Goldman, 38, came to pick apples with her parents and daughters. She explained that apples symbolize sweetness that she hopes will translate to a “sweet year.”

Traditionally, apples are eaten dipped in honey to celebrate the holiday. “Even when it’s not Rosh Hashana, I’ll eat apples with honey. That’s like, the only way I eat them,” Brandon Gorodokin, 25, said.

One “connector,” Max Cardin, 32, described his hopes for the coming year. “I want it to be a year of gratitude, of love, of peace, and of fostering relationships with each other and building connections.”

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com or at 443-900-1296. 

The two proposed calendars are similar, with winter and spring breaks set for the same range of dates. The main difference between the calendars is the start and end dates of the school year.

Winter Break is proposed to begin on Dec. 24, 2026, and last through Jan. 4, 2027. Spring Break is proposed to start March 25, 2027, and end March 30.

The most significant difference between the two calendars is the date proposed for the first day of school. Because Labor Day comes late next year, the calendars offer choices for the first day. Proposal A has the school year set to begin after Labor Day, with school starting on Sept. 8 and ending on June 17. Proposal B shows the school year starting before Labor Day, on August 31, and ending on June 11.

Proposal A also includes three emergency closing days. Proposal B has four.

In 2019, the school system surveyed nearly 10,000 community members to help pick the school start date. Survey results showed that only 23% of respondents preferred starting school before Labor Day, while roughly 53% preferred starting after Labor Day. The rest of the respondents also preferred deciding on a yearly basis.

School Board Vice President Stephen Whisler expressed worry about early dismissal days. “What concerns me is the 13 early release days,” he said. He warned that early dismissal days “set the stage” for many students skipping school for the day. “There’s a high correlation between student absence and early release days,” he said.

Whisler also noted that school ratings are tied to attendance.

The Board of Education is seeking public input on several agenda items from Wednesday’s meeting, including the calendar proposals. The calendar for next school year will be approved at a Nov. 12 board meeting, after a 60-day feedback period. Comments can be submitted online or by mail to the Superintendent’s Office.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com.

The public portion of the school board meeting begins at 4 p.m., Wednesday, in the conference room at 25 N. Court St., Westminster.

Superintendent Cynthia McCabe will propose two options for the 2026-2027 school year calendar. Option A would have school starting after Labor Day, as usual, on Sept. 8, 2026. Option B would begin school before Labor Day, on Aug. 31. The school board will consider both options and the public will be able to give comments on both before a final vote, scheduled for the board’s November meeting.

Another discussion item on the board’s agenda on Wednesday is regarding increased costs for several building projects.

The school board approved in August 2024 plans to add 13 classrooms to Sykesville Middle and five classrooms to Freedom Elementary. The Sykesville project was estimated to cost $17.7 million and add or renovate 49,150 square feet of space at the school, increasing capacity by 250 students to a total of 970.

According to the board’s agenda, lower-than-expected funding from the state means the county will be responsible for $3.17 million more than initially anticipated for the Sykesville Middle project.

The $7.2 million Freedom Elementary project was also approved in August 2024 and was expected to add 112 seats and 4,500 square feet to the school, increasing its total capacity to 637 students. According to the meeting agenda, the cost of this project is also expected to increase for the county. An additional $1.3 million will be needed “due to the need to install a sprinkler system for the additions.”

In April, the board approved design plans for additions at six Carroll County elementary schools, marking the first phase of the county’s prekindergarten expansion project. Elmer Wolfe, Robert Moton, Runnymede, Spring Garden, Westminster and William Winchester elementary schools were chosen for additions because those communities need additional prekindergarten space most, according to school system officials.

According to Wednesday’s meeting agenda, the cost to the county for the pre-K additions is increasing by about $1.8 million.

School system staff will provide the board more information about all of these projects and cost increases during Wednesday’s meeting, and the Board of Education is expected to vote to approve them during its October monthly meeting.

School board meetings are open to the public and live streamed on the Carroll County Public Schools YouTube channel and viewable on the right side of the Board of Education’s website at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-information, under CETV Livestream. Meetings are also broadcast throughout the month on Carroll Educational Television, Channel 21. Anyone who wishes to participate must fill out an online sign-up form at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-information or call the communications office at 410-751-3020 by 9 p.m., on the Tuesday before a meeting.

Have a news tip? Contact Gabriella Fine at gfine@baltsun.com.